Dallas was the son of Alexander J. Dallas, secretary of the Treasury (1814–16), and Arabella Maria Smith. In 1813 his father arranged for George to serve as a private secretary to Albert Gallatin (Gallatin, Albert), secretary of the Treasury (1801–14), on his diplomatic mission to Russia to negotiate an end to the War of 1812 (1812, War of). After working for his father in the Treasury department and with the legal staff of the Second Bank of the United States, he entered Pennsylvania politics. He served in the United States Senate (1831–33) and was appointed minister to Russia (1835–39) by President Andrew Jackson (Jackson, Andrew). After Polk's nomination for president, the Democratic Party sought to balance its ticket and offered the vice-presidential nomination to Silas Wright of New York. When Wright declined, the party turned to Dallas, who like Polk was an ardent supporter of American expansionism. After his single term as vice president he served as minister to Great Britain (1856–61). The cities of Dallas in Texas and Oregon are named for him.